After the New York Knicks lost big man Mitchell Robinson to a season-ending ankle injury, the storied franchise had to find a viable replacement in the frontcourt in order to keep this team afloat as one of the better teams in the Eastern Conference.
As a result of needing to address the frontcourt, the Knicks decided to make a surprising move, as the team brought in veteran big man Taj Gibson, who has considerable experience playing for head coach Tom Thibodeau.
Unfortunately for Gibson, the 38-year-old veteran only played in 10 games for the Knicks before recently being waived by the team to create some roster flexibility with the NBA trade deadline right around the corner.
Although Gibson is a free agent once again, it appears he may have a future lined up as an assistant coach under Thibodeau when he decides his playing career is officially over, via Fred Katz of The Athletic.
Tom Thibodeau on Taj Gibson, who the Knicks waived Sunday: “I still think he has a lot left in the tank, and when he’s done playing, he knows I’d love to have him as a coach. I think he’d be terrific.”
— Fred Katz (@FredKatz) January 9, 2024
In the 10 games Gibson played for the Knicks, which was his second stint with the team, the veteran averaged only 9.7 minutes per contest with 1.4 points and 1.8 rebounds per game.
With the Knicks six games above .500 at 21-15, New York is currently sitting in 8th place in the Eastern Conference and may actively be looking to make another move before the deadline next month.
The team recently made the bold move to acquire OG Anunoby and Precious Achiuwa in a deal with the Toronto Raptors in exchange for RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley.
New York could try to make another substantial move in order to compete with the best of the best in the East.
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Knicks Are Releasing 15-Year NBA Veteran